March 23, 2010

Brazilian Food

There is a large mixture of people from other countries in Brazil, especially in Sao Paulo, so you have a wide variety of foods available. There are many "estrangeiros" (foreigners) living in Brazil, including Japanese, Arab, Jewish, Italian, Portuguese, European, Hispanic, Chinese, Korean,... Typical Brazilian food is very good, and we enjoy it very much. Here are some types of foods that are available here:

- Typical Brazilian meal: rice, beans, meat (chicken, beef, or sausage)- Feijoada: traditional meal, started by black slaves in Brazil; is a stew made of pork & beef, smoked sausage, black beans, and bacon; served with rice, greens, and farofa (a type of flour mixed with things like bacon, or sausage, and other things).- Churrasco (my favorite): Brazilian BBQ (without BBQ sauce); a large variety of beef cuts, along with chicken, sausages,...- Seafood ("frutos do mar"): a large variety of dishes with fish, shrimp, squid, and others.- Pizza: cooked in a wood fire brick oven; typically thin and does not have tomato sauce; a huge variety available & very tasty.- Italian foods: large variety of lasagnas, spaghetti, and pastas.- "Esfihas" : these are made of bread stuffed with chicken or sausage or beef with cheese.- Brazilian Hot Dog: it sort of looks like a hot dog, but has cheese & fried potato sticks & sometimes mayo & corn & cheese & peas & ...- Cheese bread "pao de queijo": very tasty round pieces of bread with cheese- Salgados: a snack type of food with many varieties available; a typical salgado is bread or fried dough filled with chicken, cheese, beef, or sausage.- Guarana: very popular & good Brazilian drink made from guarana fruit- Tropical Fruits: huge variety of tropical fruits- Fruit Juices: a large variety of flavors; we like it mixed with milk- Brazilian Coffee: puts American coffee to shame; very good & strong- Desserts, Sweets: huge variety of "tortas" (pies), "bolos" (cakes), pastries, and other goodies- Acai: a popular dessert made from the acai fruit; can be combined with granola &/or other fruits

(one thing to note: most Brazilians think that it is gross to drink milk with your meal)

"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask and imagine, according to His power that is working in us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Jesus Christ throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen." - Ephesians 3:20